Vehicle and Props Design
GCD61804/Project1
LIU CHENG RUI (0370930)
GCD61804/Vehicle and Props Design/ Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
INSTRUCTION
PROJECT 1 : PRE-PRODUCTION
week2 Mood Board and Sketches
In the second week, we were informed that we needed to start project1, and
the first one was Mood Board and Sketches.
We need to choose at least one of land, water and sky for the design.
I first choose land. For the design of land vehicles, I prefer to combine
insects with vehicles, such as scorpions, spiders, ants and other
insects.
Fig 2.1 Mood Board (Land)
Simple explanations of some functions and forms:
1.Spider-shaped vehicles have stronger climbing power, can perform
high-altitude operations, and are faster.
2.Scorpion-shaped vehicles are divided into two types. One is the attack
type vehicle, where the double pincers are replaced by machine guns and the
tail pins are replaced by more powerful sniper rifles, mainly responsible
for protection and minor disputes.
Another type is the engineering vehicle. The double clamps are replaced
with mechanical claws capable of grasping, and the tail pins are replaced
with crane hooks, which can lift heavier objects and are mainly responsible
for transportation or construction projects.
3.The ant form also belongs to engineering vehicles, mainly responsible for
transportation and construction projects.
4.The one-man show type vehicle is responsible for transporting heavy goods
or handling blocked roads, etc.
Fig 2.2 Sketches (Land)
For Underwater vehicle, I designed them based on various types of whales,
mainly including functions such as combat, information collection, and
transportation.
Fig 2.3 Mood Board (Water)
Simple explanations of some functions and forms:
Combat function:
Equipped with weapon systems and armor, it is suitable for guarding and
small-scale battles.
High mobility, with the ability to conduct rapid assaults and
patrols.
Transportation function:
It features a large-capacity cargo hold or modular design, making it
suitable for material transportation.
Equipped with a mechanical arm and a hook, it can be used for loading and
unloading as well as engineering collaboration.
Information collection function：
Equipped with sonar, sensors and camera devices, environmental and
geological data collection is carried out.
It can be used for scientific research observation, sample collection and
remote data transmission.
week3 Progress
Through this week's practice, I learned to use silhouettes to expand the
form and function of the vehicle, so I used the same method to build the
shape of my vehicle.
I choose land vehicles as my research object. Regarding the original form
of vehicles, I choose insects such as rhinoceros beetles, spiders and ants
as references.
Fig3.1 Insect-shaped vehicle development
For insect-shaped vehicles, I respectively use numbers to distinguish their
shapes and functions.
Vehicle No. 1 is a transport vehicle designed based on the
prototype of the stag beetle. The front of the vehicle is modeled after
the stag beetle's pincers, used to break through obstacles, and the huge
compartment at the back is used to transport a large amount of
goods.
Vehicle No. 2 is a transport vehicle designed based on the
prototype of an ant. The overall body of the vehicle refers to the three
structural forms of an ant, which can distinguish different types and
sizes of goods and facilitate classified storage.
Vehicle No. 3 is also a transport vehicle designed based on the
prototype of the stag beetle. Different from Vehicle No. 1, this vehicle has
given up some cargo storage space and replaced it with clamps that can be
grasped.
Vehicle No. 4 is a transport vehicle designed based on the
prototype of a spider. Different from other vehicles, this vehicle has a
certain climbing ability, can adapt to more challenging terrains, and the
clips in the front can also serve the functions of grasping and
defending.
Vehicle No. 5 is a transport vehicle designed based on the
rhinoceros beetle. It has the strongest load-bearing capacity among the
five vehicles and the greatest horsepower. The single horn at the front
has an extremely large destructive power and can simultaneously perform
the task of clearing road obstructions.
In addition to vehicles in the form of insects, I have also developed a
series of tanks, mainly responsible for combat functions.
Fig3.2 Tank-shaped vehicles development
The Tank series of vehicles mainly add mobility and combat
capabilities on the basis of ordinary tanks, such as the II and III
tanks. The unique tire deconstruction increases the vehicle's
traveling speed. The No. 4 and No. 5 models have added a structure
similar to a bucket at the front end, enhancing their impact and
destructive power.
week4 3d sketch Progress
Mr. Kannan thought the third silhouette of my truck was very interesting
and could continue. But I need to write down the inspiration and
references for my vehicle design.
Inspiration1——Rhinoceros beetle
Fig4.1Inspiration (Rhinoceros Beetle）
I mainly focus on the combination of vehicles and rhinoceros beetles and stag beetles. The prototype vehicle is a truck. The rhinoceros beetle has a large horn on its head, and the truck's head can adopt a protruding "horn" -shaped device to serve as a radar,camera cover or anti-collision structure.
Power symbol:
The rhinoceros beetle can lift objects dozens of times heavier than itself, emphasizing the truck's load capacity and off-road performance.
Color:
Commonly blackish-brown, metallic green, and metallic blue. The body can be painted in metallic texture colors or color-changing finishes.
Behavioral characteristics: Nocturnal, solitary, suitable for creating an off-road, adventurous and exploratory style truck image.
Inspiration2——Stag beetle
Fig4.2 Inspiration (Stag beetle）
Mandibular structure:
Males have large clamp-shaped mandibles for fighting. It can be used in the design of the front bumper or mechanical arm, emphasizing the "grip" or "traction" function.
Symmetrical shape: Symmetrical posture, clean and smooth lines. The body design can refer to its simple yet powerful contour lines.
Sturdy structure:
Solid body, powerful legs and claws, suspension system. The tire cladding part can be designed with reference to its grip and stability.
Moodboard
Fig4.3 Vehicle Moodboard
After completing the supplementation of inspiration and references,I began to draw the 3d sketch of this car.
Fig4.4 3d sketch of the vehicle
Fig4.5 3d sketch of the vehicle（Character driving example）
Fig4.6 Rough Value painting
week5 Rough Value painting and Coloring
In this week's class, Mr. Kannan showed us how to explore the
forms of vehicles under different silhouettes and also taught
us to color the vehicles.
After class, I asked Mr. Kannan for suggestions on the
modification of my vehicle. He thought it was good on the
whole, but the clamp-shaped Angle at the lower front of the
car was too long. Also, try to explore from different angles
and draw 3d sketches.
After listening to the sir's suggestions, I decided to pick
out some of the previously designed silhouettes for Rough
Value painting.
Fig5.1 Rough Value painting (expanded in silhouette) 1
Fig5.2 Rough Value painting (expanded in silhouette) 2
Of course, I made rough drawings from other angles for my
main design vehicle, which will be helpful for my future
structural research and other work.
Fig5.3 Rough paintings of vehicles from multiple
angles
After completing all these, I chose a color that I prefer.
The reason why I chose this color is to better adapt to the
world I created (wasteland mechanical style).
This is a heavy combat vehicle that combines the
post-apocalyptic style of "Mad Max" with the rhinoceros
beetle form. The overall design is rugged and heavy. The
vehicle body is as solid as a shell. The huge angular
structure at the front is highly aggressive, and the rear
extends with distinct mechanical limbs, as if a steel beetle
were hunting in the wilderness. It symbolizes the collapse
of the post-apocalyptic order and the rule of barbaric
forces, and is a wasteland behemoth born for survival and
conquest.
Fig5.4 Reference to the movie "Mad Max"
Fig5.5 The vehicle design after simple coloring
week6 Vehicle form improvement and breakdown
This week, Mr. Kannan gave new feedback on our assignment.
Regarding my assignment, Mr. Kannan believes that the
overall design of the vehicle is good and he likes it very
much. However, the stability of the vehicle cannot be
guaranteed because the hook at the rear of the vehicle I
designed is too long, which may cause the front of the
vehicle to curl up. Mr. Kannan suggested that I could
refer to the compartment of a garbage truck and place the
grappling hook in the compartment when not in use, which
could increase stability.
After listening to Mr. Kannan's feedback, I modified the
structure of my vehicle, placed the grappling hook at the
rear of the car into the compartment, and made some
breakdowns.
Fig6.1 Vehicle form improvement and breakdown 1
Fig6.2 Vehicle form improvement and breakdown 2
week7 Coloring
This week we continued with Project 1. Mr. Kannan gave new
feedback on my task. The overall design is good and it can
be colored.
Regarding the use of colors, I mainly adopt dark colors such
as brownish. Since my vehicle needs to adapt to the world it
is in - the post-apocalyptic wasteland world, overall,
brownish is used to convey a sense of rust and aging of the
vehicle.
Fig7.1 Color diagram of the normal form of the vehicle
Fig7.2 Color diagram of vehicle grappling hook shape
week8 Vehicle adjustment
I showed the new progress to Mr. Kannan. Mr. Kannan
pointed out that my color was too dark and it should be
made brighter and lighter. Also, attention should be paid
to the projections of some structures. Besides, balance
still needs to be noted.
After listening to Mr. Kannan's advice, I first changed
the overall color of the vehicle from the initial dark
brown to brownish yellow, and appropriately added rust
textures, which made it look more like metal rust. Then
regarding the issue of vehicle balance, considering that
the compartment might lack support, I moved the position
of the rear tires backward and appropriately enlarged
them. In this way, the compartment will have more tire
support and the balance will also be enhanced.
（The color displayed on the webpage is darker and
darker than the original image. In fact, it is a
brighter brownish-yellow color.）
Fig8.1 The modified color and structure 1
Fig8.2 The modified color and structure 2
week9 Vehicle adjustment
This week, our Project 1 officially concluded and
Project 2 kicked off. Mr. Kannan made a summary of our
Project 1. Among them, I needed to adjust the
brightness and saturation of the vehicle. Most
importantly, I needed to create a silhouette of the
driver.
Fig9.1Adjust the brightness and the driver's
silhouette
Fig9.2 Project 1 Compilation
FEEDBACK
week4
Mr. Kannan thought the third silhouette of my truck was very interesting
and could continue. The first, third and fourth ones had some problems in
terms of shape. For example, the lower part of Truck No. 3 was too wide
and might not be able to bear as much weight as a truck.
Regarding the silhouette of the tank, Mr. Kannan thinks that Tank No. 4
is good and a sketch can be drawn. Generally speaking, I need to
organize my ideas and references into a document so that Mr. Kannan can
understand my thoughts.
week5
Mr. Kannan offered some new perspectives on my assignment last week. He
suggested that I could explore from other angles of the car. Besides, I
could also conduct in-depth exploration based on some structures of the
car, such as how the car door opens or what the hook at the rear of the
car is used for.
week6
The overall design of the vehicle is good and I really like it.
However, there is a problem with the vehicle's stability because the
grappling hook at the back is too long. You can refer to the
compartment of a garbage truck and place the grappling hook inside the
compartment. The grappling hook only comes out when in use.
week7
The overall design of the vehicle is good. It's fine to break it down
like this. Your next step is to paint the vehicle.
week8
Mr. Kannan pointed out that my color was too dark and it should be
made brighter and lighter. Also, attention should be paid to the
projections of some structures. Besides, balance still needs to be
noted.
week9
Adjust the color of your vehicle, pay attention to the light and
shade relationship, and then start your project 2.
REFLECTIONS
Experience
This design has enabled me to accumulate a lot of practical
experience. First of all, from the entire process of concept
generation to actual drawing, I learned how to gradually transform a
vague idea into a concrete visual work. For instance, I chose
"Rhinoceros Beetle" as the source of inspiration for the vehicle.
This process has enabled me to better understand how to transform
the characteristics of living beings into mechanical language.
In terms of operating painting software, I have also practiced
expressing the metallic texture, the sense of wear and tear, and the
heaviness of tires, and mastered more skills related to light and
shadow, texture and detail depiction. Meanwhile, I also learned how
to make the design more powerful through outline and structure.
Observation
Observation
During the design process, I found that a good-looking car is
not necessarily practical, but a practical car is definitely
more convincing. The vehicles in the wasteland style not only
need to have impact but also conform to the logic of being
"usable", such as whether the structure is stable and whether
the weapon positions are reasonable.
I have also observed that integrating elements from nature (such
as rhinoceros beetles) into the design can make the work more
recognizable and enable the audience to understand the ideas
behind the design more quickly. Meanwhile, through observing
works such as the movie "Mad Max", I have realized that details
determine the atmosphere. Small places like rust, damage, and
modification marks can make the entire work more realistic and
have a greater sense of story.
Findings
During the design process, I discovered a very important issue: The
structure of the vehicle cannot only consider the shape, but also the
center of gravity and balance. At first, I placed the tyre in the
middle of the car body, but the teacher pointed out that this design
would make the car lean backward and be unstable. Later, I attempted
to move the tires backward and appropriately increase their size. As a
result, the overall performance became more stable and better met the
vehicle's usage requirements in the wasteland world.
Another discovery is that the wastage style is not just about adding a
little rust and metal. It actually has a complete logic, such as old
materials but practical functions, rough appearance but compact
structure. This has given me a deeper understanding of style design.
Comments
Post a Comment